The BoxScore vs. Reality

Submitted by MGrether on

If you were to show me the box score... I would have said this was a good game:

  • Patterson throwing for 220 yards.
  • Functional backup who moved the ball
  • Holding ND to 3 2nd half points.
  • Out gaining ND in total yards
  • 8 different players catching the ball 
  • Kickoff Return for a TD
  • Chance to win in the final drive against a top 15 team...

But having watched the game, MAN that was ugly. Seemed to find our feet the second half, but that was far more disgusting and disheartening then those stats would appear. Hopefully, in November if we pull this season together, people will see the box score and forget what a @$@#$@ show this was. 

goblue16

September 1st, 2018 at 11:29 PM ^

The oline is bad plain and simple this team will win 8 games maybe 9. But they are nowhere near elite. After 4 years there just as bad as year 1 what a joke. Who’s got it better then us? Lmao

goblue16

September 1st, 2018 at 11:29 PM ^

The oline is bad plain and simple this team will win 8 games maybe 9. But they are nowhere near elite. After 4 years there just as bad as year 1 what a joke. Who’s got it better then us? Lmao

Indy Pete - Go Blue

September 1st, 2018 at 11:41 PM ^

We need to learn to win ugly - only part of the box score in big games is the only one that matters, points.  Nevertheless, there were signs of life, and Shea is a stud.  I do feel badly for him though, b/c the offensive line still looks brutal.  Once again, Don Brown makes great halftime adjustments on defense.  I am not on the overly emotional 'fire (blank)' immediately, but count me in the crowd that says go out and find the offensive version of Brown as soon as possible.

JamieH

September 1st, 2018 at 11:43 PM ^

Actually, what the box score shows is a team that is CAPABLE of so much more, but just didn't make plays when they needed to.  Almost none.  

The list of huge screw-ups is too big to even recount.  This is a team that came out and took a giant dump tonight.   But there is ability there.  However players are going to have to step up and make plays at big moments.  The D started to do that in the 2nd half, but the offense just never really did it.

I was SUPER impressed with McCaffery.  The game could have sunk faster than the Titanic when Patterson went out with cramps and McCaffery played really well.  But the offense falling apart any time it got inside ND's 40 was crazy frustrating.  

Jevablue

September 1st, 2018 at 11:50 PM ^

That is the value (I guess) of actually watching the game.  It has been often said that "figures don't lie but liars figure".   Well it is probably the first refuge of losers to cite all of the statistical reasons that  the steamng pile of shit they just left on the national stage really wasn't so bad.  But it really was. And if JH is not humiliated to his core by that effort tonight then I'd say he's long gone.

wildbackdunesman

September 1st, 2018 at 11:53 PM ^

We have a LOT to improve.  We looked ugly.

However, we played the 12th ranked team on the road.

 

If 2 of the following 4 plays go our way we have a decent chance at making OT.

-Shea throws the ball away instead of taking a sack to take us out of FG range in the 1st half.  (3 point swing)

-A bad snap on an easy FG attempt in the 2nd half.  (3 point swing)

-The refs notice that the play clock expired on ND's 48 yard FG, pushing it back to 53. (3 point swing)

-We don't get a needless roughing the passer penalty on 3rd down that turns a would-be FG attempt into a TD. (4 point swing)

If we get just two of those little plays our last TD either ties the game or we go for 2 to tie it up.

bamf16

September 2nd, 2018 at 12:23 AM ^

Bingo!

 

Not just on the TD, but on the screen at the end of the first half. If he makes the first one, wipe off a Notre Dame TD. If he makes the second one, first down with plenty of time to get into FG range.

 

Michigan's safety play continues to be the glaring weakness on defense.

Gulogulo37

September 2nd, 2018 at 2:24 AM ^

He was the backup and it was his first game. We'll be fine. The first one was especially frustrating since it ended up an ND TD. It looked like he crocodile armed it. Even if he just had his arms extended and batted it down that would have been fine.

B1G Winning

September 2nd, 2018 at 12:43 AM ^

This is just like last year's Florida game.

Two pretty average teams playing a close game, not revealing that they both aren't very good.  We just happened to be the slightly more shitty team this time around.

blueblueblue

September 2nd, 2018 at 4:48 AM ^

You have to read the box score correctly. You have to understand when ND gained its yards, points, and then when it decided to play to not lose. The box score tells the story, if you just put on some temporal lenses. 

Icehole Woody

September 2nd, 2018 at 7:11 AM ^

My take on reality:

1.  Notre Dame’s defense was excellent, especially the DL.

2.  Patterson is a big upgrade at QB for sure.

3.  The OL continues to be an issue.  How big I can’t say given the quality of the Irish DL.  At time I thought I detected real improvement over 2017 but that may have been beer goggles.  The OL needs to get better or its going to be immpossible to win the B1G.

4. And the officiating sucked.  What conference did they pull them from?

 

JonnyHintz

September 2nd, 2018 at 10:08 AM ^

Point blank, the mistakes were crucial. Twice early in the game a Michigan penalty extended an ND drive that led to points. Winovich’s penalty took ND from a field goal to a TD. Ross’ hold took away a punt. 

Will Hart botching the field goal snap cost Michigan points. Shea running backwards and taking a 16 yard sack moved Michigan out of field goal range and cost Michigan a chance at points.

So the mistakes we saw were CRUCIAL mistakes. And at the end, Michigan still had the ball late with a chance to tie it on the road, at night, against a top 12 team.

A lot to improve on obviously. But there were some bright spots and some positives. The sky is definitely not falling and the goals are all still within reach

MercuryHayesIn…

September 2nd, 2018 at 3:45 PM ^

Box scores don't mean Ws.  The reality is...

 

Passing game:  C

Running game:  C-

Run defense: B

Pass defense:  C (can't give up big plays on absolute quails)

Special teams:  B+ (aside from the snap/hold it was a great performance)

 

.... I do agree McCaffery is a bright spot.  The fact that the back up could come in under those circumstances and still move it a little and look competent is a plus.